There is a little son lost, John
Tears, John. Tears, John
Bruised in the rain with his overalls torn
With one shoe off, one shoe on
Tears, John. Tears, John

And where will your little son sleep, John?
Under the smoke stacks, under the heat?
Under the tent where the canopy leaks?
Tears, John. Tears, John

You’re drowning in the grief of Jupiter’s water
Let me open my teeth and cradle you there
There’s a bed for the boy, and a rope for the father
Both orphaned by heaven, where no child's spared

To who will your little child pray, John?
Dark and strangers that sleep on the train?
There’s blood on the cots, bones on the plates
Tears, John. Tears, John

Who then will tend to the sheep, John?
Treads in a place where the vicious gods preach
Where claws come in sharpened on wolves in white fleece
Tears, John. Tears, John
Tears, John. Tears, John

You’re drowning in the grief of Jupiter’s water
Let me open my teeth and cradle you there
There’s a bed for the boy, and a rope for the father
Both orphaned by heaven, where no child is spared

Swing from my lips
Render your deeds
The more that you share
The deeper your knees
His two little hands push the chair from your feet
Drowning in your beautiful grief